Ask Joan: To the opera in Verona and Graceland

I think I'm going to have to give in to a certain septuagenarian in my life and book a little trip to Graceland! Any help in planning a visit would be most gratefully received. – OB, Dublin

That’s brilliant! You’re only as young as you feel. There is a tour from Ireland that not only goes to Graceland, but to Nashville, Memphis, Lafayette, Nachez and New Orleans. It traces the route from country music, to rock and roll with a bit of blues, soul, Cajun, zydeco and jazz along the way.

The 10-day tour follows the Blues Highway, the route that brought the music of the south worldwide. It includes two days in Memphis with a full day at Graceland including a tour of Elvis’s home, museum and the Meditation Garden where he is buried.

The tour is from September 28th, and costs from €2,899pps. The price includes all scheduled flights, hotel accommodation, a tour director and attraction tickets as well as some guided destination tours. See americanholidays.ie or telephone: 01-9609396.

If you decide to go it alone, flights to Memphis will cost in the region of €700 with a stopover on the way; there is no direct flight. You should allow about €100-€150 per night for accommodation and it is very hot in July and August, though Elvis Week is around then and there will be special events.

Buy tickets and packages on graceland.com.

There is a package that includes an overnight in Heartbreak Hotel. The VIP entourage package cost from $250 and includes the hotel overnight, an all-day tour and access to VIP areas with a souvenir of your visit.

You should plan on a tour of Sun Studios while you're there, sunstudios.com.

You can book an individual trip with American Holidays or any other local travel agent.

My husband's birthday present is a visit to the Puccini opera festival this summer. We visited the Verona opera festival some years ago, by car and ferry, drove to Verona and bought tickets. This time we need a little help.  Could you advise us of options such as all-in package or possibly independently booking flights, accommodation and tickets? – VC, Dublin

The Puccini festival runs from July 24th to August 27th in Torre del Lago, in an outdoor arena by the lake.  There are four operas each week from Thursday to Sunday.  There are no companies in Ireland arranging trips to the festival, but some in England do.

Jmb-travel.co.uk offers a three-night trip with two operas from £599pps (€805).

Kirkerholidays.com has a trip for five nights, staying in Lucca, with three operas, four dinners, transfers, a walking tour and two garden tours from £1,598pps (€2,150) and flights from England.

If you decide to go it alone, Ryanair fly to Pisa.

Accommodation is difficult to get in Torre del Lago. Most people stay in Viareggio or Lucca. Fares would be about €200-€250 each and nice hotels cost €100-€150 per night.

Tickets can be purchased online or over the telephone on puccinifestival.it and (0039-584-427201) and cost €20-€159.

There is a bus from Pisa airport to Viareggio and Lucca and the train service in this area is quite good and reasonably priced. Using the bus service to Torre del Lago is better than trying to park or depart after the shows. It should be possible to do the trip without a car.

Send your questions to jscales@irishtimes.com